Ventilator



Nov. 8, 1932. H. A. THOMAS VENTILATOR Filed May 5, 1929 Patented Nov. 8, 1932 UNITED STATES HARRY A. THOMAS, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA VENTILATOR Application filed May 3, 1929". serial No. 360,141.

My invention consists of an improvement in ventilators, particularly intended for use in connection with outlet conduits for air, smoke, steam, vapor or the like.

It has in view to provide an automatically adjustable vane controlled ventilator having a form best adapted to effect upward and outward flow of the main ventilating current, with accelerating or induced assisting action 1 of supplemental air currents from the exterior. It comprises, in connection with the terminal of a ventilating conduit, a centrally pivoted coping and its elements mounted upon the upper end of the conduit, constructed and adapted to operate in the manner more fully hereinafter described.

Referring to the drawing showing one preferred form of the invention:

Fig. 1 is a view of the ventilator in rear elevation;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line II-II of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the ventilator; Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on the line IV-IV of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a sectional detail view showing a resilient mounting for the pivoting stem.

Referring to the drawing, 2 is the cylindrical outlet conduit of a house, shop, chim- 39 ney, etc., through which foul or heated air, smoke, vapors, etc. are discharged to the atmosphere.

A coping 3 of sheet metal is pivotally mounted on the top of a stem 4 by bearing 5 and held centrally for free rotation by a supplemental guide 6, the stem having a step bearing 7 supported centrally of the conduit 2 by any suitable means, as a cross bar 8. The general form of the coping is that of an elbow, approximating a 90 deflection and having a laterally extending delivery terminal shell or pipe 9, at right angles to the vertical center of conduit 2. A vertical guiding vane 10 of sheet metal is located midway across the end of outlet pipe 9 and preferably extending above and below as shown. Bearing 5 may be provided with a lubricant supply cup 11 of any suitable kind, readily reached from the open front end of pipe 9. The overhang of the delivery end of pipe 9 and its vane is counterbalanced by a suitable weight 12, assisting in free rotation on the stem.

An important feature of construction is a downwardly extending'front apron 13 depending below the lower annular rim or skirt 14 of the coping, and both the apron and rim are spaced outwardly beyond the concentric upper end of conduit 2, with a continuous annular circulation space 15 for incoming air. 60 In Fig. 5 I show a modified construction of pivotal mounting support in which the stem- 4 bears by its lower point or rounded end on a bearing diskor socket 16 resting on a light spring 17 carried in cup 18 of depending cross brackets 19from'the conduit wall.

A supplementalbearing 20 of cross arm 21 maintains the pin in central alinement ensuring its stability, and in such construction the pin may be freely rotatable itself, or fixed 71.. as preferred.

It will be observed that the main middle body portion of elbow section 3' is tapered upwardly, with diminishing cross section towards the top, tending to assist the general ('5 upward and outward flow towards the delivery end.

In operation, currents of air from any direction will maintain the outlet end of the ventilator in line with the general direc- 8i: tion of the air currents from the rear, as indicated by arrows a. The curved apron 13 extends by its upwardly rounded edges backwardly at each side to or near the opposite portion of the conduit 2 as. shown. By such arrangement air currents passing around the conduit will be caught by the apron and will be deflected upwardly between the apron and conduit wall to the interior, as indicated by p the arrow 7), while a reduced flow of air will be induced inwardly and upwardly at the 0pposite side.

As the outside cold air passes inwardly of the coping it will effect an accelerated or induced flow of the main current through the conduit 2 in the manner of an ejector, the combined currents passing outwardly through the end of pipe 9. Due to the central pivoting mounting of the coping it may freely rotate and is extremely sensitive to changes in direction of the currents.

The ventilator as a whole is comparatlvely simple and cheap in construction, and is effectually weather proof against entrance of rain or snow, its open end being normally directed away from driving currents by action of the vane. It may be madein various sizes or modified in detail construction or otherwise changed by the skilled mechanic, within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A ventilator consisting of an elbowshaped coping pivotally mounted over the outlet end of a cylindrical conduit hav-' ing a horizontally disposed delivery terminal and a vertical ,vane therebeyond, a lower coping skirt surrounding the conduit provided with an. air collecting apron depending below the coping skirt at the outlet side of the coping, and an opposite balancing counterweight. V a 2. In combination with a cylindrical conduit, a rotatably mounted elbow-shaped coping having a laterally extending delivery pipe, and a vane, and'provided with a vert1- cally depending skirt annularly spaced around and -extending below the top of the conduit, and having a supplemental vertical downwardly extending air collecting apron at one side portion of the coping skirt proj ecting downwardly beyond it.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aifix my signature. a I

HARRY A. THOMAS. 

